Nonspilling paint palette



p 7, 11953 J. P. D! GEMMA 9 9 NONSPILLING PAINT PALLETTE I Filed Sept. 50, 1950 2 SHEETS-*SHEET 1 INVENTOR W /z.P/

I 7 eludes the ordinary Patented Apr. 7, .1953

UNITED STATE.

s PATENT-jforrlcs This invention relates to paint palettes, such as those used by artists. It has particular refer- ,ence to an improved paint palette embodying separate compartments for paint pigments and a liquid vehicle, the compartments ranged as'to prevent spilling or intermixing of colors when the palette is tilted from a horizontal position.

The equipmen commonly used by artists inflat palette and a separate paint box. While efforts have been made to combine a palette and a paint box in a unitary assembly, 'by attaching some form of palette to the. paint box, the results have not been satisfactory. For example, in such prior combinations the control of the water or other liquid vehicle for the pigments has been difficult and awkard clue to the tendency of the paint to flow freely over the palette or to spill over when the box is tilted or moved. I v

An object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an artists palette having separate compartments for the pigment and liquid vehicles, which is so arranged that the liquid vehicle and the pigments will not overflow or run when the palette is tipped.

A further object is to provide a palette of the character described which will minimize waste of paint.

Another object is to incorporate the palette and compartments for the pigments and the liquid vehicle into a single unit which can be managed with one hand while it is in use, without danger of unintentional mixing of the materials, and which is of simple and inexpensive construction.

A paint palette made in accordance with the invention comprises walls extending vertically from a horizontal wall or base and forming therewith a series of adjacent compartments for liquid vehicles. A flange extends continuously around the upper portion of each compartment and projects inward from the vertical walls thereof to form a retainer for the liquid vehicle when the palette is tilted from a horizontal position, the flanges forming top openings for the respective compartments. other vertical walls forming pigment compartments separate from the liquid vehicle compartments but accessible through the top openings of the latter. Preferably, the top flanges of the several compartments are formed by a lattice which is supported on the vertical walls of the palette. If desired, the vertical walls forming the pigment compartments may also be provided with retaining flanges at their upper portions being so ar- The palette also comprises and extending inward into the pigment compartments where they are accessible through the top openings of the liquid vehicle compartments.

-. For better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

" Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the I which are formed by vertical walls the palette tilted from a Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the palette, and

new palette;

Fig, 2 is a vertical-sectional view of the palette illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing horizontal position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical-sectional view of a carrying case, showing the palette mounted in the case.

Referring to the drawings, the new palette comprises a base I having near one of its corners a thumb hole 2 for holding the palette when it is in use. The base I forms the bottom wall of a series of adjacent compartments 3, the sides of 4 extending upward from the base. Additional vertical walls 5 are arranged in each compartment to form a sub-compartment 6 for a paint pigment. Accordingly, the walls I, 4 and 5 form pigment compartments 6, one for each shade of paint to be employed, and a compartment 3 adjacent each pigment compartment. The compartments 3 contain the water or other liquid vehicle l3, l4, l5 and I6, and may also be used as mixing surfaces for the corresponding paints before they are applied by the artist.

A lattice I is supported on the vertical walls 4 and forms a flange extending continuously around the upper portion of each compartment 3. The continuous flange I of each compartment projects inward from the vertical walls thereof to form a retainer for the liquid vehicle when the palette is tilted from a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 3. If desired, the flat area on top of the lattice structure I may be used as a palette for mixing the colors when a substantial amount of liquid is maintained in the compartments. The flanges 1 formed by the lattice should be of uniform width and should overhang each compartment 3 by an amount approximately equal to the overhang of the flanges of the adjacent compartments. The flanges 1 form top openings 8 for the respective compartments 3, to provide access to the liquid vehicles in these compartments. As shown, the openings 8 also provide access to the pigments in the pigment compartments 6 adjacent the liquid compartments.

Retaining flanges 9 are provided at the upper tion' without spill'i portions of the vertical walls and extend inwardly into the pigment compartments 6 at the regions where these compartments are accessible through the openings 8. The flanges 9 serve to prevent spilling of the paint due to tilting of the palette, when the paint is in liquid form, as shown at l1, l8 and I9. Of course, when the pigment is solid, as is the case with some water colors, the retainer lips or flanges 9 may be omitted.

A deeper central compartment II! is provided for the main supply of water or other liquid vehi. cle H for the pigment, the compartment 10 serving as a reservoir for the liquidto'be added to the paint compartments. For comzenienceoi refilling, emptying, and the like, the compartment I0 is slidably fitted into an aperture in the base I and the lattice I so that it can Ice-removed by pushing it up in the body of the apparatus. When the compartment H) is replaced, it is held in position .by'projection 12 which restsnn the top of a'vertical retaining Wall "4a.

The apparatus of the invention canbe fabricated from sheet metal or it can ;be manufactured. from plastic or other suitable material. I15 de-"' sired, the compartments 3 and B may 'beimade of cylindrical or otheriorminstead of the generally square ,form as illustrated. Also, the ;base

I may be arranged at the top of the structure so. that it can be combined'with the lattice "L'in whi'ch case the bottoms of the several compartments are formed independently of 'thebase.

It will be observed that the newpalet-te can be tilted andevejn shifted tola perpendicularposi g "or 'intermixing any of the liquids, as shown .in Figs. 3 and 5. Also ,'the palette is well 'adapteidto Tbe fitted .into a carrying case .29, as 'shown'in'lFig. 5,1Where "it "maybe car'riedflinan upright'jposition by ahandleil.

l cla'imz 1. A paint palette comprising horizontal .and

prising also a V mounted on the palette and projecting below the "bottom thereof.

vertical walls forming a series of adjacent compartments for liquid vehicles, a flange extending continuously around the upper portion of each compartment and projecting inward from the vertical walls thereof to form a retainer for the liquid vehicle when the palette is tilted from a horizontal position, the flanges forming top openings for the respective compartments, and vertical walls forming pigment compartments separate from said first compartments but accessible through said openings.

2. A paint palette according to claim 1, in which said flanges are formed by a lattice supported on said vertical walls.

A paint palette according to claim 1, comprising also retaining flanges at the upper portions of the vertical walls of the pigment compartments and extending inward into said last compartments where they are accessible through said openings.

"4. A'paint palette according to claim 1, comliquid receptacle removably file of this patent:

UNITED ST TES .l ATEN S .Number Name pate 2,107,239 E ckhofl ;Feb. 1,1938 2,402,850 Sillman une .25, 19 .-2,533',618 Pinanski Dec. 12, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 61565 Great Britain .of 1907 

